It’s ACS time again but it’s Gas Safe NOT Corgi registered

If you are a gas engineer, chances are it’s time to renew your ACS. Things have changed a bit since you last did this – here’s a low down of what’s new:

The Gas Safe Register

The most notable change is that the Gas Safe Register’s has replaced being CORGI registered. A lot of people still refer to Gas Safe Registered engineers as “Corgi Registered” but they are different organisations. Corgi still exist, but legally, to work on gas you have to be Gas Safe Registered.

The scheme itself is now run by E & U Skills with the input of sector skills councils and industry representatives to provide a more balanced viewpoint. Under the Gas Safe Register, engineers are considered competent once they’ve got an ACS certificate. When CORGI was in charge installers were only accepted onto the register once they had been seen by a representative who effectively went through the same questions covered during assessment – doubling up the process.

The Gas Safe Register will come out to view work within three months and operatives must keep a log of activity carried out during this period but there review is based on practical application, rather than re-assessing again in the same way as ACS.

Introduction of Combustion Performance Analysis (CPA1): By 1st April this year, all installers who hold the ACS appliance elements CENWAT or Space Heaters (HTR1) must also hold their Combustion Performance Analysis of Domestic Appliances (CPA1). Domestic heating engineers have until the end of March 2012 to complete their CPA1 (if they don’t already have it) – from 1st April, CCN1 will incorporate CPA1 requirements.

More information about our Gas ACS training and reassessment can be found here.